Carrot Cake with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting

Ingredients

• 1 cup pecans, or nut of choice
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups sugar
• 1 pound carrots, peeled and coarsely shredded
• 3 sticks unsalted butter, room temperature
• Three 8-ounce packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 to 2 tablespoons maple extract
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• pinch of salt (I used fleur de sel)
• 12 ounces white chocolate, chopped fine (don’t use chips)
• 4 ounces heavy cream